Susquehanna Ranks Among Top 20 In Study Abroad Survey

Published on November 11, 2013

Susquehanna University sent more students abroad in the 2011-12 academic year than most undergraduate-only institutions in the nation. According to the Open Doors 2013 annual report on student mobility, released on Nov. 11 by the Institute of International Education (IIE), Susquehanna ranked #15 among all baccalaureate schools in the United States, up from #35 the previous year.

The university’s central curriculum includes the Global Opportunities (GO) program, making Susquehanna one of only a handful of schools to require a study-away experience for all students. In the past three years, 1,042 Susquehanna students have studied in 42 countries on six continents. Another 163 studied away on cross-cultural programs in the U.S.

During the year immediately prior to the GO requirement, only 30 percent of Susquehanna students studied abroad. With the addition of GO, 100 percent of Susquehanna students have had, or will have, a study-away experience in a culture other than their own. The vast majority of students—more than 75 percent in 2011-12—choose to study in another country. In the Open Doors 2013 report, Susquehanna is ranked #21 for the percentage of students at baccalaureate schools studying abroad.

“Before the GO requirement, more than 70 percent of Susquehanna’s incoming students reported an interest in study abroad, but only a third typically went,” says Scott Manning, dean of global programs. “By making it a requirement, we removed the obstacles that kept students from fulfilling that desire.”

“It’s truly amazing how far the internationalization of Susquehanna has come in such a short time,” Manning says. “It’s absolutely critical to the success of our graduates. In a global economy, cross-cultural experiences have never been a more important part of the college experience.”